Rain and Fire
by AvatarAangForever
Summary: A headstrong girl of eighteen, Kosame wants nothing more than to join the Metalbending Police. There's only one problem. . . she's a waterbender! How will Kosame convince them that she can be of help while also dealing with her overprotective mother and up-to-no-good brother? Takes place just prior and during Korra's arrival in Republic City.
1. Chapter 1: An Announcement

_ I'm not one for listening. Never have been. I've known that for years, I suppose. But I never thought it would get me into a mess like this. You see, I've doomed everyone I love. My brother and my mother. Everyone. Republic City is going to be destroyed. And it's all my fault . . ._

CHAPTER 1

**An Announcement**

"Chief Beifong and the whole of the police force are currently working their hardest to stem the flow of the anti-bender revolt. They have proven slightly successful in preventing some potentially-harmful—"

I turn off the radio on my windowsill and gaze out onto the panorama of the city. My street is all but silent now, but the rest of Republic City is alive with light and music. The city beats like a neon heart at the center of the world; its life and oxygen the people that roam through it. This is what I crave. The life that I could be having out there: the downtown hub, the marketplaces, the Pro-Bending Arena.

Mother would never let me, though. Not with Amon and his goons running amok and trying to scare people with their goofy masks and wanna-be chi-blocking. Caught with a sudden pulse of rebellion, I can't resist the urge to open my dusty window and jet. I grasp the hinges and pull the glass up with a rusty groan. It's like an old man's cough.

The smells immediately mesmerize me. Rosemary and sage from our garden, tire from the streets, metal and stone from the nearby buildings. And the breeze, oh the _breeze_. A cool, life-pouring wind that makes my every pore sing and hum with elation. I am ready. This is my city.

The fall from the window is quick and painless. I land with a muffled _thump _and take special care to not step on any of mother's flowers. A few short steps and I open our green metal gate. It's noisy, but closes with certainty. My street is quiet and still, the only sound coming from my footsteps and the occasional flickering of a faulty streetlight. I pass by a slew of beat-up Satomobiles. Some abandoned, some still in use. The Dragon-Flats are not known for their . . . prosperity.

Where I'm heading, though, is far from the Dragon-Flats.

The street has a gradual downhill-incline that I barely notice. It's funny because all the streetlights are tilting with the street, but no one around here really cares. They have enough to worry about.

Eventually, the houses and Satomobiles give way to lumbering patches of dewy grass. I've exited the Dragon-Flats and am now in my favorite part of the city. Past the grass and a small line of trees, I can hear the sound of waves breaking over rock. Like the relief from a fresh breath of air, Yue Bay opens up before me.

The moonlight flickers on its glassy surface like shifting layers of ice. In the distance I can see Air Temple Island and Avatar Aang Island. They fascinate me. They both hold a kind of secret enigma for me. The last avatar, Avatar Aang, had had both of them built, yet I am willing to bet that barely anyone in the city pays much attention to them, much less has ever visited them. I make a silent vow to visit them one day. As the wind picks up and blows my hair, I close my eyes and breathe deeply. My normal routine begins.

My hands come up at my sides, parallel to the ground. I feel everything in one cohesive moment. The push and pull of the water in front of me and the energy of the moon above me. I don't move – not with a conscience effort, at least. I feel the tug that the water supplies and before I know it my hands are moving. The water responds with ease. My will and its will are no different. We have the same purpose in mind, therefore, we move with the same clarity.

I don't know how long this ritual lasts. I often get lost in time when waterbending. I suppose I should fix that . . .

Needless to say, I'm late. My eyes finally shoot open when I begin to see a reddish glow beneath my eyelids. Everything seems so bright after having them shut for so long. The sun has already broken the horizon and I can hear the sounds of shops opening and Satomobiles driving: Republic City is waking up.

"Oh—" Okay, perhaps I should leave out the next word.

I run back through the trees, not caring that branches and thorns are probably cutting my clothing. The fields of grass pass beneath my feet like a river and soon enough I'm running back up the inclined streets of the Dragon-Flats. The streets are beginning to fill up with all sorts of people. Most of them up to no good, so I keep my eyes on the concrete and my feet moving. I must admit that I am surprised when I bump into something tall and annoying.

"Ooh, you are so dead," my brother says, his arms crossed and a stupid smirk on his face.

"Shut up," I say as I push past him.

He turns around and walks close enough behind me so he can whisper in my ear.

"What d'ya think mom will say when she finds out you were . . . waterbending."

"She doesn't have to _find out_. At least, not if someone keeps their mouth shut."

"Ahh, I see. And if she already knows?"

I stop dead in my tracks. I slowly turn to face my brother. He has tousled black hair that falls in a jumble over his forehead. His eyes are a brown that would make any girl's heart melt. My brother's physique is tall and lean with slightly showing muscles. I suppose he's been working out.

"Gen, if you told mother, I swear –"

"Oh, calm down. I didn't tell her anything." He smiles. "But no guarantees that she hasn't woken up and noticed that you're gone."

I roll my eyes and punch his arm.

"Let's just get home."

Bread, bacon, eggs and oranges. That's all I can smell when I get home. The smells hypnotize me for a moment and all I can think of is my hunger. Then I realize that for breakfast to be ready my mother would have to be . . .

"Yup, nice knowin' ya sis." Gen walks past me, whistling an annoying tune.

I take a deep breath.

She's standing in the kitchen, one hand on her hip, the other helping her lean on the wooden table. Her apron is covered with flour and her hair is tied back hastily in a pony-tail.

"Mom, I can–"

"Don't bother," she says. "I get it. You love sneaking out and feeling the rush of teenage mischief so much that you don't care that Amon and the Equalists could snatch you at any moment."

"But I was only bending, and no one was–"

"Save it," she snaps. She places her finger and thumb against her temples and massages them. A sigh escapes her lips. "Kosame, I understand bending is important to you. It was for your father too . . . but you can't go and bend in public like that. The Equalists are too dangerous."

While every fiber of my being tells me to argue, I don't have the heart for it. Especially when she mentions my dad . . . that's just too painful. So, I swallow my pride and nod. It takes everything I have.

My mother suddenly turns on Gen who is stuffing his face at the table. Three strips of bacon, a whole string of scrambled eggs and a chunk of bread are all sticking out of his mouth at the same time.

"And you! Where on earth were you?"

He raises his eyebrows. "Mm? Mm–hm–mmh–"

"Chew first!"

He chews and swallows.

"Me? I was doing the brotherly thing and going after my terribly misguided sister here," he gestures toward me. I feel like strangling him.

"I was doing her–and you–a favor."

Gen smiles, looking satisfied, and promptly continues to glue his face to the plate. My mother, on the other hand, just sighs and walks out of the kitchen. Completely ignoring my brother, I pile a plate with food, fill a glass with orange juice and take my breakfast upstairs to my room.

I close my window which muffles the sounds of the city and turn on the radio. Thanks to the first thing I hear, I never get to finish my breakfast.

"–and due to these rising levels of Equalist activity, Chief Beifong is calling out to those who wish to help end the extremist group. More and more police are hired each day and Beifong needs as much help as she can get. Just be at least eighteen years-of-age and come down to the police department to begin registration and, if you are accepted, training."

That's when it happens. The cogs start spinning in my head and I realize I have found a way to bend freely while also fighting those who would oppress my right to bend. I immediately scramble to find some spare yuans under my bed and fly down the stairs.

"Mom! Going out! Be back in time for dinner!"

I sprint out of my house feeling excited and elated at my fortune. In my elation, however, I fail to recognize one glaring point: I am not an earthbender, much less a metalbender.


	2. Chapter 2: In Training

Chapter 2

**In Training**

The street car rumbles down the road, sending clouds of noxious dust into the air. Everyone around me looks tired and put-off, probably all heading to work for the morning. I, on the other hand, am bouncing on the balls of my feet, two yuan bills crushed under the vice-like grip of my hand.

The street car stops with a high-pitched squeal of the brakes and the the glass doors pull open. Everyone slowly files in, shuffling like penguins. The street car is obviously one from the poorer regions of the city. Its red body is coated with black streaks and graffiti, the windows covered in who-knows-what. I finally walk on and deposit a yuan into the metal bin, the driver grabs my arm.

"The fee's been raised," he rasps, "two yuans." His eyes are baggy as they squint at me and there's a dirty beard hanging from his chin.

I'm a little frightened to say the least. But my indignation gets the better of me.

"What? Why? I've ridden this street car since I was twelve and it's always been _one yuan_."

My green eyes narrow as I stare at him. I can tell from his expression that he's debating on whether to throw me off or just tell me to shut up and deal with it.

The driver sighs. "Look kid, I don't make the rules. With all the Equalists running around the city, it's becoming more dangerous to drive. So the transportation district has decided to raise the price of transit from one yuan to _two _yuans. Get it?"

I pull my arm away from his grip and drop the second yuan into the bin. Now I have no way of getting home. Dandy.

To say it's big would be a major understatement. The police headquarters rise above me like a mountain as I step off the street car. It's disorienting, being in this portion of the city. There's a cacophony of sounds that reach my ears, but only some of them get processed. Satomobile engines, a million voices, the humming of airships above me, a zealous merchant chanting an advertisement for his top-quality komodo sausages. Not sure if I trust that one.

Toph Beifong's statue stares down at me as I walk under the arched threshold of the headquarters. Her hard chiseled eyes stare down as if saying, "So, you think you got what it takes, huh? Ha, we'll see." I try not to think of what waits inside. I'm nervous enough as it is.

Within, my eyes take a moment to adjust to the yellow harshness of artificial light. Metal-clad police officers walk to-and-fro, their gazes hard and their forms harder. I calm my beating heart and walk up to the receptionist desk. Three bored looking workers sit behind the long desk.

"Umm . . . excuse me."

The available receptionist continues writing and doesn't look up. Alright, I suppose I should have composed myself better.

"Hey! You guys say you want more police help, but it doesn't look like you're trying very hard to get it!"

See what I mean?

The receptionist, who I now see is a middle-aged man with greying side-burns and a glazed over expression looks up at me.

"I assume you're here for registration?"

I nod.

He mutters something like "Never get past the first stage," and hands me some papers with a pen.

"Go into that room," he points to a door on my right, "fill out these forms, and bring them back to me."

I could feel the awkward, walking into that room. About ten other people are sitting on wooden benches lining the wall, scratching with pens on forms identical to mine. They all look up at me as I walk in. Soon enough, the only sound in the room are the many pens scratching down answers on forms. The questions on that form make me laugh:

**Name?** Kosame Inazuma

**Age?** Eighteen

**Height?** 5'9 maybe?

**Why do you wish to join the Republic City Police Force (RCPF)?**

Because I wanna kick some Equalist butt!

**What do you feel is the most urgent problem facing the city at this time?**

Definitely, the transit fees. Either that, or Amon's mask. That thing has got to come off...

**Do you view yourself as a competent fighter?**

Heck yeah!

And the list goes on and on . . . Suddenly, a door I hadn't seen before slams open and bright sunlight pours into the room. Standing there, hands on hips and a scornful expression that has "Fresh meat" written all over it, is Lin Beifong. Her eyes scan the room, resting a moment on me. I don't know what that's all about, but it feels quite awkward to sit there while the chief of police glares at you.

"Initiates," she says with a commanding voice, "welcome to the RCPF. You should know that we only accept the best-of-the-best here. Many of you will walk out of our training process with broken limbs and even more broken spirits. This isn't for the faint of heart. If it were, my mother wouldn't have designed it. Now, who's going to continue and who's going to drop out?"

No one moves.

Lin's eyebrows raise. "Well, well, well. A tough bunch, I see. Don't worry, our training will work that outta you soon enough."

Two men behind her snicker.

"Men!" They come to attention like their lives depend on it. And maybe they do. "Collect their papers and bring them to the front desk. Initiates! Come with me."

The two officers behind her come forward and take each one of our papers in turn. We follow Chief Beifong out the door and into an open courtyard. Grey stone pillars line the whole courtyard and in the center lies a steel statue of Toph Beifong. She's in an earthbending stance with metal cables flying from her arms. Lin leads us to a group of pedestals with metal cables on them.

"Each one of you stand behind a pedestal."

A horrible thought comes into my mind: what if they _expect _us to already be earthbenders? I try to throw that piece of doubt from my mind thinking, _It would have been on the forms! _But that doesn't really console me. My palms are sweating and I'm feeling a little sick by the time I reach my pedestal.

"Alright," Lin says. "Lucky for you, the Equalists have decided to take a break today, so I have nowhere else to be. Instead of one of my instructors, you get me."

I'm not so sure that's a good thing.

"First, I'll need to test your earthbending abilities. Then, those of you who are good enough, I'll teach you the basics of metalbending."

Yup, my heart is officially beating in my throat.

"Alright. To begin with, please assume your preferred earthbending stance."

Everyone around me shifts position and I quickly copy.

"Simply levitate a rock."

About fifteen chunks of earth are lifted out of the ground as if scooped with spoons. Lin walks from left to right, examining each initiate in turn. I don't know what she can get by just seeing how they lift a rock, but seeing as I have nothing, I'm not one to be talking. She stops when she reaches me.

"Is there a problem, young lady?"

I try to calm my breathing and appear nonchalant.

"No problem. I'm just not an earthbender."

Lin cocks an eyebrow while everyone beside me starts whispering and giggling. I feel my face go hot and clench my fist.

"Well, then you're in the wrong place. If you hadn't noticed, we are _metalbending _police." I feel the mocking tone in her voice and forget my embarrassment for a moment.

"I don't see anywhere that says you _have _to be a metalbender."

Her eyes narrow and I can read her expression perfectly: yes, I'm one of _those._

"What is your name, miss?"

I don't answer, which probably just makes things worse.

"I said, what is your name?"

"Kosame. Kosame Inazuma."

Is that fear I see in her eyes? It soon passes, however, and her scornful stare returns.

"Well, Ms. Inazuma, you are quite crafty for finding the one loophole in our selection process that I thought was common sense."

Everyone laughs and she smirks.

"Now that you know, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"I'm not leaving," I say firmly.

"Oh, is that so?" She's angry now, I can tell. "And what do think is going to stop me from forcing you?"

Crap. I need water, and now! My eyes dart back and forth, searching for even a drop of moisture. My eyes don't find it, though, my mind does.

I analyze the shape of the courtyard, realizing that the roofs around us tilt inward, toward the courtyard. That means any rainwater will build at the edge of the roof right behind where I stand. I think when was the last time it rained: two days ago. It could have evaporated by now, but it's been mostly cloudy these past few days and there's a chance some water is still there. It's a gamble, but it's my only chance.

It's my turn to smirk. "Definitely not you, I can tell–"

Before I can finish, metal cables come flying at me and I barely jump back before they impale themselves in the dirt. I land three feet back and bring my arms down in a sweeping motion. To my delight, water comes rushing over the edge of the roof and right onto Chief Beifong, soaking her to the bone. If she was mad before, she's boiling in her metal armor now.

"A waterbender, I see. And you thought you had what it took to be one of _us_."

Okay, that struck a cord.

In a blind rage, my right hand slashes in the air and water from the ground freezes onto her legs. It's not much though, and she easily breaks out of it. Another flurry of metal cables comes my way and this time they hit their mark. The cables wrap around my left arm and I cry out as they pull me backwards and bolt me to the wall. My arm feels like it's been lashed by a flaming, white-hot whip. Lin shoots another volley of metal rope and I'm helpless to resist. They slam into my midriff, knocking the air out of me.

I would like to tell you that I'm able to break free and miraculously win the fight. No.

I am stuck like a fly in a spider's web, my pride in tatters and tears stinging my eyes. Chief Beifong slowly walks up to me.

"I suggest you leave with what dignity you have left, waterbender."

I don't answer because I'm afraid the tears rolling down my cheeks will turn to sobs if I do.

"I said, leave my headquarters!"

The cables retract with lightning speed which hurts even more than before and I fall to my knees. I don't look to see the people that must be staring at me. I just stand up and run. I don't even know if I'm running in the right direction I just keep going.

Eventually, I reach another wall and I pull open a wooden door and step in. Definitely not the right door. It seems to be a small closet of broken equipment. There are various pieces of police armor strewn across the floor, cables themselves along with cable retractors: the circular shaped packs that hold them when not in use.

Suddenly, I get another idea. Perhaps stupid and certainly more crazy than my first, but nonetheless I am determined to see it come to fruition. I grab a broken cable retractor and a whole reel of cables that clang as I pick them up. My logic: they have plenty of these. They won't notice if one is missing. And besides, it's good payback to Chief Beifong.

Awkwardly holding the strange contraption in my arms, I find another door that leads into the lobby and I exit the headquarters.

Sure, people stare. Sure, Gen is going to make fun of me. Sure, mother's going to kill me.

I don't care, though. The thought of revenge is just too sweet . . .

* * *

Well, there you have it, chapter two! Don't worry, Lin isn't gonna be an anti-hero the WHOLE story. She'll come around. Oh, and in case you were wondering, Kosame means "light rain" in Japanese and Inazuma means "lightning". I just love Japanese. Now, it is late and I must be off to bed! Oyasuminasai! (Good night)


End file.
